hobby
gb/hˈɑbi/ us/hˈɑbi/
A2
English
~ 7200
hobbi, kabasólyom, póni
NOUN
A2
1
hobbi
A1
Usage pattern:
to have [a hobby]; [someone]'s hobby is [something]
In job interviews, they often ask about your hobbies and interests.
Állásinterjúkon gyakran rákérdeznek a hobbijaidra és az érdeklődési köreidre.
Her main hobby is gardening, and she spends every weekend in the backyard.
Legfőbb hobbija a kertészkedés, és minden hétvégét a kertben tölt.
He took up photography as a hobby after retiring.
I try to keep work and hobbies separate so I can really relax in my free time.
Painting started as a hobby, but it eventually turned into a full-time career.
Learner examples
My hobby is reading books.
A hobbim a könyvolvasás.
She has many hobbies, but cooking is her favorite.
Sok hobbija van, de a főzés a kedvence.
I want to find a new hobby this year.
Playing the guitar is his hobby, not his job.
Do you have any hobbies outside of work?
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"I like hobby"* instead of *"I like my hobby"* or *"I like this hobby"*. Remember that *hobby* is a countable noun, so you usually need *a*, *my*, *this*, or it should be plural (*hobbies*). Another common confusion is between *hobby* and *habit*: a *hobby* is something you do for pleasure, while a *habit* is something you do regularly, often without thinking, and it is not always enjoyable.
Meaning
regular activity for enjoyment
Collocations
have a hobby
|develop a hobby
|take up a hobby
|my main hobby
|hobbies and interests
|turn [something] into a hobby
Synonyms
pastime (A little more formal and general; often used for activities people do to relax or fill time.)
|
leisure activity (More formal and descriptive; often used in written or professional contexts like surveys or reports.)
Antonyms
work (Focuses on activity done for pay or duty, not mainly for pleasure.)
Themes
daily life
|leisure
|personality
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
An activity you often do for fun in your free time, not for your job or school.
An activity that someone does regularly for pleasure in their free time, not as paid work.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
2
kabasólyom
C2
Usage pattern:
a hobby; the Eurasian hobby; hobbies [plural]
We spotted a hobby hunting dragonflies over the marsh.
Egy kabasólymot láttunk, amint szitakötőkre vadászott a mocsár fölött.
The Eurasian hobby is a small falcon that often breeds in old crow nests.
A kabasólyom kis termetű sólyom, amely gyakran régi varjúfészkekben költ.
Hobbies are agile fliers and can catch swallows in mid-air.
Learner examples
The birdwatcher saw a hobby near the lake.
A madármegfigyelő egy kabasólymot látott a tó közelében.
A hobby is a small, fast bird of prey.
A kabasólyom kicsi, gyors ragadozó madár.
In this book, you can read about the Eurasian hobby.
The hobby flew quickly across the sky.
Common mistake:
Because this sense is rare outside birdwatching and science, learners may think *hobby* always means a free-time activity. If you see *hobby* in a nature or bird book describing feathers, wings, or hunting, it probably refers to this bird.
Meaning
a small fast falcon bird
Collocations
Eurasian hobby
|Eleonora's hobby
|hobby falcon
|adult hobby
|juvenile hobby
Synonyms
falcon (A broader term for birds of prey in the same family; *hobby* refers to specific smaller species.)
Antonyms
prey (In ecology, a hobby is a predator, while its prey are the animals it hunts.)
Themes
animals
|science
|nature
Definition
A small bird of prey, like a falcon, that flies very fast.
A small, slender falcon (genus Falco) known for fast, agile flight, found in parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
NOUN
C2
ARCHAIC
3
póni
A2
Usage pattern:
a hobby; riding a hobby
The messenger rode a swift hobby across the moor.
A küldönc egy fürge pónin lovagolt át a lápvidéken.
In the old ballad, a youth on a gray hobby arrives at the castle gate.
A régi balladában egy ifjú érkezik szürke pónin a várkapuhoz.
Light hobbies were prized as riding horses in medieval Ireland.
Learner examples
In this old story, the man rides a hobby.
Ebben a régi történetben a férfi pónin lovagol.
The knight’s hobby is small but fast.
A lovag pónija kicsi, de gyors.
In history books, a hobby can mean a little horse.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this old meaning is still common because they see it in historical novels. In modern English, *hobby* almost always means a free-time activity; this horse meaning is now very rare.
Meaning
a small riding horse or pony
Collocations
Irish hobby
|light hobby
|riding a hobby
Synonyms
pony (Modern general term; *hobby* in this sense is old-fashioned and mainly appears in historical texts.)
Antonyms
draft horse (A large, heavy horse used for pulling loads, contrasting with a small riding horse.)
Themes
history
|animals
|sports
Definition
An old word for a small horse for riding.
A small horse or pony used for riding.
Grammar
Dictionary form
hobby
IPA
GB/hˈɑbi/
US/hˈɑbi/
Syllables & stress
hobby (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (hobby)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: hobby
- Plural: hobbies
Word family
Forms
hobbies
noun
Core family
hobbyist
noun
Expressions
have a hobby
1/hˈæv ə hˈɑbi/
fixed phrase
do a regular fun activity
To do an activity often for fun in your free time.
Examples
- It’s important to have a hobby outside of work.
- Do you have a hobby that helps you relax?
- Children who have a hobby often feel more confident.
hobby horse
1/hˈɑbi hˈɔɹs/
idiom
someone’s pet topic or obsession
A subject or idea that someone talks about a lot and cares about very much, often more than other people want to hear.
Examples
- Climate change is his hobby horse, and he brings it up in every meeting.
- I don’t want to get on my hobby horse, but we really do need better public transport.
- She has a few hobby horses that she mentions whenever politics comes up.
make a hobby of
1/mˈeɪk ə hˈɑbi əv/
fixed phrase
turn an activity into a hobby
To start doing something regularly for fun, as your hobby.
Examples
- She made a hobby of baking bread during the winter.
- He has made a hobby of fixing old radios in his garage.
- Many people make a hobby of collecting stamps or coins.
take up a hobby
1/tˈeɪk ˈʌp ə hˈɑbi/
fixed phrase
start a new leisure activity
To start a new activity that you do for fun in your free time.
Examples
- After moving to the countryside, she took up gardening as a hobby.
- My doctor suggested I take up a hobby to reduce stress.
- He recently took up painting as a hobby and really enjoys it.